Sheikh Hasina Seeks Fresh Travel Documents
Lawyers for ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have asked Bangladesh’s diplomatic mission in New Delhi to issue her a new passport and national identity card. The request comes as Hasina, who has been in India since August 2024, prepares for a possible return to Bangladesh in December.
Reuters reviewed the letter sent by lawyers at London-based Matrix Chambers to Preeti Rahman, Bangladesh’s acting high commissioner in New Delhi. The lawyers said Hasina’s previous documents had reportedly been revoked and asked the mission to process the request promptly. They cited her Bangladeshi citizenship and the country’s obligations under international human rights agreements.
Sheikh Hasina Plans December Return
Hasina has said she intends to return to Bangladesh in December and surrender before a court. Her aides said they would announce a date once the necessary formalities were complete.
Hasina fled to India in August 2024 after student-led protests grew into a nationwide uprising that brought down her government. In November 2025, Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal sentenced her to death in absentia for crimes against humanity linked to her government’s crackdown on protesters. Hasina has denied the charges. Her Awami League was banned after her ouster, and several of its leaders and supporters were arrested or went into exile.
Sheikh Hasina Faces Dhaka’s Extradition Demand
Bangladesh’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir said Dhaka would continue seeking Hasina’s handover under its extradition treaty with India. Speaking to the media, he questioned the need for new travel documents and said Bangladesh would pursue the matter through legal and diplomatic channels.
India previously said it was examining Bangladesh’s extradition request. Hasina’s presence in India has strained ties between the two countries since her government fell in 2024. Her lawyers are now pursuing the documents for a voluntary return, while Dhaka is pressing for a formal handover.
